Roku is the top streaming device in the US and growing- Parks Associates market share by number of installed devices.-37% of streaming devices in US are ROKU, up from 30% from last year- Only Fire TV increased to 24% up 16%- Chromecast fell to third at 18% Apple TV fourth at 15%- Previously mentioned emarketer stats based connected TV use

Apple Is Planning a 4K Upgrade for Its TV Box- Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to unveil an updated Apple TV with 4K streaming support and a focus on live television at their September 12th announcement. The updated Apple TV will reportedly support HDR video.

The Tick's Creators Split Up the New Season to Curb Binge Watching- The Tick arrived on Amazon Friday but only half the season. Creator Ben Edlund told CinemaBlend that they broke up the season in two on purpose. Edlund said The Binge Watching [sic] issue is... I see it as it’s a perfect dive from a high board, and there’s no splash. We’re all sort of veterans of the opposite of that. Fan energy wants to have a culture to express itself in. So if you split a season, and give a gap in-between, you get anticipation, you get people are able [to] talk about what happened.”

Netflix snags ‘Def Comedy Jam’ 25th anniversary special- Netflix will stream Russel Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam 25th anniversary special this autumn. The lineup will include Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Tracy Morgan and Katt Williams. A reboot of the series is also coming to HBO in November called All Def Comedy.

Netflix Is Now Selling its Own Weed Strains- Variety reports that Netflix has put its name on some boutique strains of legal marijuana for sale this past weekend at a pop-up shop inside the Alternative Herbal Health Services dispensary in West Hollywood. The move is in promotion of Disjointed which premiered on Netflix Friday.

Facebook and Twitter Will Stream College Football This Season- Facebook and Twitter have reached an agreement with Stadium to stream college football games. Facebook will have 15 games from Conference USA and Mountain West. Twitter has not announced it’s slate but will show Alabama A&M against Alabama-Birmingham.

Dispatches from the Front

Brian,

So I used Movie Pass back when it was $45-$50 a month for those in the LA area and I enjoyed it for the time I had it, got lots of bonus reward points from theaters however it has changed since then for the better. Back then there was no online ordering with it, you had to be at the theater to activate the account to make a purchase so it was a gas cost. It also included a 6 month cool down period if you cancelled. (So you can’ just use it for winter blockbuster season and then start up at the next summer blockbuster season) At the $10 a month I don’t see a reason to let it lapse though. Data signal can be an issue, so finding out what theaters have dead zones by the box office and activating the card in the parking lot is important however with online ordering I see this going to be a lesser issue. If you have a theater nearby with a rewards program it is a MUST HAVE. If you go to 1 movie a month it is a huge discount. If you go to two movies every 3 months (based on my local market( it’s still a deal.

Let me know if you have any specific questions, I’d be happy to answer

- Jeff

I signed up for the service the day after the price change. I was very excited about the service seeing how I typically see at least one movie a month. The first few days of the service the app was not working very well due to the influx of new users. I was told to buy a ticket and send them the receipt and they will refund the price, which I was fine with.

Now a week later I have found that the app is working pretty well and it is very convenient to just open the app, select my theater, reserve the seat, and have my ticket ready at the box office (this does only work if MP has a deal with that specific theater to do e-tickets). I also found that my movie going experience was much more enjoyable. You feel like such a bad ass just opening your phone and a few minutes later having reserved a seat and just walking in the theater. On top of that I have went to see movies that I would have never seen in theaters and if I did I would have been upset knowing that I spend $10-$12, but instead I can just relax and enjoy a movie I more than likely wouldn't have every paid to see, and I don't feel bad throwing the theater a couple bucks for a snack or drink.

Even if the current pricing only lasts 12-18 months I think it will be worth it in the long run and even give movie chains time to consider their own subscription service down the road.

Best Regards,- Kyle

Hey, I ran across a cool website for sports fans who are looking to cut the cord. Just type "wherecaniwatchmy.team" into your browser and you'll be able to quickly find out which package is best for watching your favorite sportball team.

He's only got NFL and NCAA football on there for now, but hopefully he'll add more sports later.

Thought I'd pass along a cool new service that helps people navigate the proliferation of streaming services.